The Portrait of a Lady is the story of a spirited young American woman, Isabel Archer, who in affronting her destiny, finds it overwhelming. She inherits a large amount of money and subsequently becomes the victim of Machiavellian scheming by two American expatriates. The story follows the free-spirited Isabel as she loses her freedom, despite suddenly coming into a great deal of money, and becomes ground in the very mill of the conventional.
The Portrait of a Lady is one of James's most popular long novels, and is regarded by critics as one of his finest. Like many of James's novels, it is set in Europe, mostly England and Italy. Generally regarded as the masterpiece of James's early period, this novel reflects James's continuing interest in the differences between the New World and the Old, often to the detriment of the former. It also treats in a profound way the themes of personal freedom, responsibility, and betrayal.
This edition is limited to 1,000 copies.
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